Environment Bill — Clause 2 — Environmental Targets: Particulate Matter — 26 Jan 2021 at 17:53

The majority of MPs voted not to require a target for particulate matter under 2.5 micrometres in diameter in the air to be set at a level of less ten micrograms per cubic meter, to be in-line with World Health Organisation guidelines and to be met by 2030 at the latest.

MPs were considering the Environment Bill.^[1][2]

The amendment rejected in this vote was:

• Amendment 25, page 2, line 24, leave out subsection (2) and insert—
• “(2) The PM2.5 air quality target must—
• (a) be less than or equal to 10µg/m3;
• (b) follow World Health Organisation guidelines; and
• (c) have an attainment deadline on or before 1 January 2030.”

The rejected amendment was accompanied by the following statement from its proposer:

• This amendment is intended to set parameters on the face of the Bill to ensure that the PM2.5 target will be at least as strict as the 2005 WHO guidelines, with an attainment deadline of 2030 at the latest.

The amendment would have impacted Clause 2 of the Bill^[3], which was titled Environmental targets: particulate matter and began^[3]:

• (1) The Secretary of State must by regulations set a target (“the PM 2.5 air quality target”) in respect of the annual mean level of PM2.5 in ambient air.
• (2) The PM2.5 air quality target may, but need not, be a long-term target.
• (3) In this section “PM 2.5 ” means particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter not exceeding 2.5 micrometres.

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• [1] Parliament's webpage on the Environment Bill, Parliament.uk
• [2] Explanatory notes to the Environment Bill, 30 January 2020, Parliament.uk
• [3] Environment Bill as of 27 November 2020. Parliament.uk

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